Electronic device

ABSTRACT

According to one embodiment, a note PC has a disk drive connected to a system board via a connector. A power receive coil is attached to the disk drive. Power produced by the power receive coil as a result of excitation of a power feed coil is fed to a power supply control circuit via an unused pin of the connector.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/791,649filed on Jun. 1, 2010, which is based upon and claims the benefit ofpriority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2009-272696, filed Nov.30, 2009, the entire contents of both, which are incorporated herein byreference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

One embodiment of the invention relates to an electronic device that canbe powered by noncontact power feeding.

2. Description of the Related Art

Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2004-350465 discloses a chargingadaptor for charging a portable telephone in a noncontact manner. Whencharging a portable telephone using the adaptor, the adaptor isconnected to the telephone and placed on a noncontact charging pad,whereby the telephone is charged by electromagnetic induction betweenthe coils incorporated in the adaptor and the pad.

In this case, however, a connector dedicated to connection of theadaptor to the portable telephone is necessary, and the adaptor cannotbe used in common for different types of portable telephones. Also inthis case, the telephone cannot be charged without the adaptor, whichdegrades the convenience of the adaptor, compared to the conventionalchargers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

A general architecture that implements the various features of theinvention will now be described with reference to the drawings. Thedrawings and the associated descriptions are provided to illustrateembodiments of the invention and not to limit the scope of theinvention.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating an electronic device accordingto a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram useful in explaining the state of connectionbetween the disk drive and the system board shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view useful in explaining conductive coating ofthe housing of the electronic device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view illustrating an electronic device accordingto a second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view illustrating an electronic device accordingto a third embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 6 is a schematic view illustrating an example in which a powerreceive coil is attached to a battery, not to a disk drive.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various embodiments according to the invention will be describedhereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. In general,according to one embodiment of the invention, a note PC 10 comprises adisk drive 12 connected to a system board 14 via a connector 18. A powerreceive coil 1 is adhered to the disk drive 12. The power generated bythe power receive coil 1 as a result of excitation of the power feedcoil 8 is supplied to a power supply control circuit 16 via an unusedpin of the connector 18.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, embodiments of the inventionwill be described in detail.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating a note-type personal computer 10(hereinafter referred to simply as “the note PC 10”) as an electronicdevice according to a first embodiment of the invention. FIG. 2 is acircuit diagram useful in explaining the state of connection between adisk drive 12 and a system board 14, which are mounted in the main unit2 of the note PC 10 as described later. FIG. 3 is a schematic viewuseful in explaining conductive coating 3 described later.

The note PC 10 comprises a main unit 2 provided with a keyboard or apointing device on an upper surface 2 a, and a display unit 6 connectedto the rear edge of the main unit 2 via a hinge 4. The display unit 6 isrotatable between a position at which the surface 2 a of the main unit 2is open as shown in FIG. 1, and a position at which the surface 2 a ofthe main unit 2 is closed.

A removable disk drive 12 is housed in the main unit 2 of the note PC10. The disk drive 12 is, for example, a hard disk drive (HDD) or anoptical disk drive (ODD). A slot (not shown) is formed in the housing ofthe main unit 2 for inserting various types of cards.

The main unit 2 also houses a system board 14. A power supply controlcircuit 16 is mounted on the system board 14 for converting, into systemdriving power or battery charging power, the power generated bynoncontact power feeding via the power receive coil 1 described later.The disk drive 12 is connected to the system board 14 via the connector18.

The connector 18 of the embodiment is, for example, an SATA connector,and is provided on the leading end of the disk drive 12 in a directionin which the disk drive is inserted. Namely, when the disk drive 12 iscorrectly inserted in the main unit 2, the connector 18 is connected.Note that the connector 18 has an unused terminal for feeding the systemboard with power generated by noncontact power feeding.

The note PC 10 of the embodiment can be powered in a noncontact mannerby electromagnetic induction through the power feed coil 8 that facesthe lower (reverse) surface 2 b of the main unit 2. The power feed coil8 is contained in a power feed pad (not shown), or buried in the toppanel of a table (not shown) on which the note PC 10 is placed when itis used. In other words, the note PC 10 can be powered byelectromagnetic induction through the power feed coil 8 when the mainunit 2 is placed on the power feed pad or table with the power feed coil8 buried therein.

More specifically, in the embodiment, the power receive coil 1 forgenerating power using electromagnetic induction that occurs between thecoils 1 and 8 is adhered to the reverse side of the disk drive 12.Namely, when the disk drive 12 with the power receive coil 1 mountedthereon is inserted in the main unit 2, the power receive coil 1 facesthe power feed coil 8 with the reverse side of the main unit 2interposed therebetween.

In this state, if a current is passed through the power feed coil 8, thepower feed coil 8 is excited to generate such a magnetic flux asindicated by the arrows of FIG. 1. The magnetic flux penetrates thepower receive coil 1 that faces the excited power feed coil 8 in anoncontact manner, whereby a current caused by the electromagneticinduction flows through the power receive coil 1. The thus generatedpower is input to the power supply control circuit 16 via the connector18, where it is converted into the system driving power or batterycharging power.

To efficiently generate power by electromagnetic induction, it isdesirable to oppose the power feed coil 8 and the power receive coil 1with a small distance therebetween, and to interpose no conductivematerials therebetween. In contrast, the housing of the main unit 2 isgenerally provided with conductive coating 3 (see FIG. 3) in order toprevent leakage of electromagnetic radiation. In the embodiment, onlythe area of the housing that faces the power receive coil 1 formedintegral with the disk drive 12 as one body is provided with noconductive coating.

By virtue of this structure, any conductive material is not interposedbetween the power feed coil 8 and the power receive coil 1, with theresult that electromagnetic induction can be produced efficientlybetween the coils, thereby enabling efficient noncontact power feeding.

The power receive coil 1 and the power supply control circuit 16 areconnected to each other via an unused pin incorporated in the connector18 of the disk drive 12. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, when thedisk drive 12 is inserted into the main unit 2 and the disk-drive sideconnector 18 a of the connector 18 is connected to the system-board sideconnector 18 b of the connector 18 are connected to each other, the diskdrive 12 is connected to a controller 13 and the power receive coil 1 isconnected to the power supply control circuit 16.

As described above, in the embodiment, the power receive coil 1 formedintegral with the disk drive 12 is connected to the power supply controlcircuit 16 on the system board 14, using the unused pin incorporated inthe connector 18 of the disk drive 12. Thus, by adding a simplestructure in which the power supply control circuit 16 is mounted on thesystem board 14, the note PC 10 can have a noncontact power feedfunction.

Namely, a standard note PC, which does not have a noncontact power feedfunction, can have this function simply by exchanging a disk drive forthe disk drive 12 with the power receive coil 1 attached thereto, andexchanging a system board for the system board 14 with the power supplycontrol circuit 16 mounted thereon.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view illustrating a note PC 20 according to asecond embodiment of the invention. The note PC 20 is characterized bydirectly connecting the power receive coil 1 to the power supply controlcircuit 16 via a power feed cable 22 different from the connector 18,instead of connecting the coil 1 to the system board 14 via the unusedpin of the connector 18. The structure of the second embodiment otherthan this point is substantially the same as the first embodiment. Inthe description below, elements similar to those of the first embodimentare denoted by corresponding reference numbers, and no detaileddescription will be given thereof.

The unused pin of the connector 18 employed in the first embodiment isnot dedicated to power feeding, and hence it may be difficult for thepin to exhibit a satisfactory power feed function. For instance, desiredpower cannot always be supplied.

In contrast, in the second embodiment in which a power feed cable 22 isused in addition to the connector 18, desired power feeding can berealized regardless of the specifications of the connector 18. In thiscase, only the power feed cable 22 is added, which does not make thestructure of the apparatus complex.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view illustrating a note PC 30 according to athird embodiment of the invention. The note PC 30 is characterized inthat an external cable 32 is used instead of the power feed cable 22 ofthe second embodiment. In this structure, since the power generated bythe power receive coil 1 is directly input to a DC connector 34 via theexternal cable 32, it is not necessary to mount, on the system board 14,the power supply control circuit 16 for noncontact power feeding. Inthis structure, although a DC conversion circuit 17 for converting, intoa DC current, the power generated by the power receive coil 1, isprovided across the external cable 32, the invention is not limited tothis. Alternatively, the DC conversion circuit 17 may be contained in adisk drive. The structure of the third embodiment other than this pointis substantially the same as the second embodiment. In the descriptionbelow, elements similar to those of the second embodiment are denoted bycorresponding reference numbers, and no detailed description will begiven thereof.

The external cable 32 connected to the power receive coil 1 and led tothe outside of the housing of the note PC 30 is externally connected tothe system board 14 via the DC connector 34 provided outside thehousing.

In the third embodiment, it is not necessary to mount the power supplycontrol circuit 16 on the system board 14, unlike the first and secondembodiments. Therefore, even a note PC made without consideringnoncontact power feeding can easily have a noncontact power feedfunction simply by adhering the power receive coil 1 to the disk drive12 and connecting the external cable 32.

While certain embodiments of the inventions have been described, theseembodiments have been presented by way of example only, and are notintended to limit the scope of the inventions. Indeed, the novel methodsand systems described herein may be embodied in a variety of otherforms; furthermore, various omissions, substitutions and changes in theform of the methods and systems described herein may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of the inventions. The accompanying claims andtheir equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications aswould fall within the scope and spirit of the inventions.

For instance, although in the above-described embodiments, the powerreceive coil 1 is adhered to the disk drive 12, the invention is notlimited to this. Alternatively, the power receive coil 1 is adhered toanother unit, such as a battery, which can be attached to and detachedfrom the note PC.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view illustrating an example in which the powerreceive coil 1 is attached to the reverse side of a battery 42 that canbe attached to and detached from a note PC 40. Also in this example, thepower receive coil 1 is attached to the system board 14 via theconnector 18 of the battery 42, as in the first embodiment. Further,when the power generated via the power receive coil 1 is directly fed tothe battery 42, it is not necessary to mount the power supply controlcircuit 16 on the system board 14.

In general, batteries can be continuously used only for several hours ina single charge. Furthermore, in general, the batteries have a life spanof only several years. If the battery 42 with the power receive coil 1of FIG. 6 attached thereto is prepared as a replacement battery, anoncontact feed function can easily be added.

In addition, the noncontact feed function may be added by adhering thepower receive coil 1 to various cards attachable to and detachable froma note PC.

1. An electronic device comprising: a power receiver coil facing anexcited power feed coil; a component integrated with the power receivercoil and detachably attached to the electronic device; and a powersupply controller connected to the power receiver coil.
 2. Theelectronic device of claim 1, wherein when the component is inserted inthe electronic device, an area of a housing of the electronic deviceapart from an area of the housing that faces the power receiver coilcomprises conductive coating.
 3. The electronic device of claim 1,further comprising a connector configured to detachably connect thecomponent to the electronic device, wherein the power receiver coil isconnected to the power supply controller through a terminal of theconnector.
 4. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising aconnector configured to connect the component to the electronic device,and a power feed cable configured to connect the power receiver coil tothe power supply controller.
 5. The electronic device of claim 1,further comprising a connector configured to connect the component tothe electronic device, an external cable configured to connect the powerreceiver coil to an external power supply terminal of the electronicdevice, and a DC converter provided across the external cable.
 6. Anelectronic device comprising: a power receiver coil facing an excitedpower feed coil; a battery integrated with the power receiver coil anddetachably attached to the electronic device; and a power supplycontroller connected to the power receiver coil.
 7. The electronicdevice of claim 6, wherein conductive coating is on a housing of theelectronic device apart from an area of the housing that faces the powerreceiver coil when the battery is attached to the electronic device.